The mists are clearing, the fog is lifting and summer is (probably) just around the corner. Now is the perfect time to dust down your trusty, rusty steed and give your cycle commute another go.
Cycle to save money and feel worthy, but also to get the sort of toned legs that’ll have hot pant designers begging you to quit the day job and start modelling their designs tout-suite.
Cycling around the UK’s major cities isn’t for the faint hearted, but I’ve been doing it for four years and I’m still three dimensional. Not even an extra shot in your coffee can replace the adrenaline rush you get from surviving rush hour on two wheels.
Despite this, cycling to work has saved my sanity. No longer pressed up against strangers on the tube, I’ve binned my oyster card and my £40 a month gym pass and now stretch my legs with a 30 minute cycle across the Thames each morning. My route takes in Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, and Covent Garden. I mentally high five other cyclists in the lift at work, and I’ve shared smiles with bikers as we cross Waterloo bridge in the August sunshine.
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Starting a cycle commute can feel like a really big decision, but it’ll get you fit, tanned, and save you lots of money in the long run. It’s a no-brainer. Here are some tips to ease you into the saddle.
Get some gear
And by this I don’t mean lycra. Cycling gear is pricey as hell. That Rapha softshell jacket the bald man cycling very slowly is wearing cost him £199. Think of how many sarnies you could get for that. Simple things. I wear my old netball skort underneath a dress if I want a girly day. You’re not going to win any fashion awards, but it sure beats flashing your pants to the driver and upper deck of the 68 bus behind you. Anticipate that you’ll sweat more than you think you will too. I cycle in a t-shirt and wear a lightweight hi-vis jacket from Sports Direct bargain bin over it. Now it’s getting sunnier and the nights are lighter, try a hi-vis sleeveless vest to keep you cool. Hint: It hides any gross sweat patches too. I take an easy-to-fold blouse or jumper in my bag so I don’t have to wear sweaty clothes all day.
Beauty biking essentials
'But I’ll get all sweaty' is the number one reasons my friends give for why they don’t cycle. Honey, that’s what showers are for. And, failing that, wet wipes. I’m lucky that my office has an impressive suite of showers, changing cubicles and free hairdryers, but my university didn’t. An all-over wet wipe wash, a spritz of dry shampoo to de-sweat hair, and some sexy mattifying powder will be all you need to look like the ride-in never happened.
READ MORE: Cycling Home Shitfaced Isn't Big Or Clever, So Why Are We Doing It Anyway?
Avoid left turning lorries
As a cyclist you should be scared of traffic, and that fear will keep you safe. Cycling too slowly can be just as bad as cycling too fast - be aware of who’s around you. This includes enormous HGVs. The back of these vehicles are usually covered with stickers: the message on most is if you can’t see the wing mirrors, the driver can’t see you. Always try to sit in the cycle box in front of all the traffic so you can pull out before these juggernauts swing left.
'I’ll get enormous thighs!'
The fear of the many, the reality of the few. Unless you spend your day doing squats with 70kg dumbells and biking up hills with an incline to rival Everest, you’ll still squeeze into your fave skinnies. If you’re super worried, peddling slower on a lower gear helps.
Sexism happens: here’s what to do
'You can ride me any day!' 'Give that saddle some love, darling!' Sounds cliched? You’d be surprised what the bored man-in-a-van comes up with. Cycling in a big city can takes guts, and nothing pisses me off more than men who try to make you feel crap for just trying to get to work. But when you’re on a bike trying to navigate rush hour traffic, just ignore them. If they persist - I was once followed for over a mile with three guys making kissy sounds - give them the finger. It’s not failed to shut them up once.
You can get your bike paid off in cheaper, monthly installments at cyclescheme.co.uk
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Follow Eleanor on Twitter @EllieRoss102
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.